Manufacture of adhesive shipping units



Sept. 2, 1969 M. TIMMS ET AL 3,465,354

MANUFACTURE OF ADHESIVE SHIPPING UNITS Filed Aug. 24, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVIZN'HJRS LEOA/ M T/MMS JOHN Q. MCKUS/CK 1- TOlQA/E Y Sept-2, 1969 L. M. TIMMS ET 3,465,354

MANUFACTURE OF ADHESIVE SHIPPING UNITS Filed Aug. 24, was I 5 Sheets-Sheet :5

H JOHN C MCKUS/CK INVENIORS QTTOQ EY Spt. 2, 1969 T|MM5 ET AL 3,465,354

MANUFACTURE OF ADHESIVE SHIPPING UNITS Filed Aug. 24, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 1 N VEN 'TORS L Eou M. TIM/-45 JOHN C. MCKUS/CK United States Patent MANUFACTURE OF ADHESIVE SHIPPING UNITS Leon M. Timms, 636 Amherst Drive, Burbank, Calif. 91504, and John C. McKusick, Los Angeles, Calif.;

said McKusick assignor to said Timms Filed Aug. 24, 1966, Ser. No. 574,776

Int. Cl. B311) 1/26, 23/26, 23/74 US. C]. 93-61 22 Claims This invention relates to improved apparatus and methods for manufacturing packing units, of a type adapted to be adhered to a container or object being shipped, for the purpose of holding a packing slip or other item which is to accompany the shipment. More particularly, the packing unit may consist of a piece of paper or other flexible sheet material having a coating of adhesive on one of its sides, with a thin pocket formed of additional sheet material adhered to the adhesive and into which the packing slip or other item to be retained is placed. With the packing slip or item in this pocket, the main piece of sheet material is placed in contact with the carton or object to be shipped, so that the adhesive secures the entire assembly to the object. Certain packing units of this type, and their preferred manner of formation, have been disclosed and claimed in US. Patent No. 3,250,385, issued May 10, 1966 to Leon M. Timms, on Roll of Shipping Units for Holding Packing Slip or the Like; and in two US. patent applications of Leon M. Timms S.N. 479,735, filed Aug. 16, 1965, on Packing Unit, and SN. 479,977, filed Aug. 16, 1965, on Packing Unit With Viewing Window.

A major object of the present invention is to provide a machine and related methods which are capable of manufacturing packing units of the discussed type very rapidly and at minimum cost, and yet with a precision and reliability assuring accurate formation of each of the packing units manufactured, and in particular assuring proper formation of the pockets, and effective adherence of the pockets to the adhesive in accurately predeterminable relative positions. Preferably, the pockets are actually formed on the machine itself from a supply roll of paper, and are then brought into contact with the adhesive on a carrier sheet to complete the ultimate packing unit structure.

Desirably, the apparatus includes means for advancing an elongated strip of adhesive carrying material along a predetermined path, and applying to the adhesive a series of pockets, at locations spaced along the strip at proper intervals to form a series of the packing units. Tear lines may be formed in the carrier strip between the different pockets, so that a user may ultimately tear apart the successive packing units for individual use.

The pockets themselves may be manufactured in extremely simple fashion by progressively deflecting or folding an elongated strip of pocket forming paper or the like to a generally tubular condition, as that material advances along a desired path, and then separating successive portions of the tubular material into relatively short tubular sections which can be adhered to the carrier sheets in a manner forming pockets from the different short tubes. The tubular sections may be separated from one another by forming perforations or other tear lines in the sheet material from which the tubular structure is formed, and subsequently exerting a pulling force on the tube acting to tear it apart at each of the tear lines. The mechanism for initially shaping the sheet material to tubular form may consist of a forming shoe or structure about which the paper is deflected from an initially planar form by appropriate deflecting elements. The apparatus for tearing successive portions of the tubular strip apart may include two drive rollers which engage the tube at spaced locations and drive it at differential speeds acting 3,465,354 Patented Sept. 2, 1969 to exert the desired longitudinal tearing force on the tubular element.

The above and other features and objects of the invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of the typical embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a machine constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 3a is a longitudinal section through the tube forming shoe of the device, shown separately;

FIG. 4 is a rear view of the machine, taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8 are fragmentary vertical sections taken on lines 5-5, 6-6, 7-7 and 8-8 respectively of FIG. 2;

FIG. 9 is a view taken on line 9-9 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 10 is a view taken on line 10-10 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic representation of the manner in which the tubular pockets are formed; and

FIG. 12 shows the final product made by the apparatus and methods of the invention.

Referring first to FIG. 12, we have illustrated at 10 a roll of packing units constructed in accordance with the invention and illustrated as wound about a tubular core 11 formed of cardboard or the like. The roll 10 includes an elongated strip 12 of paper or other sheet material having adhesive 13 continuously coating one of its sides, and carrying a series of spaced pockets 14 secured to the adhesive. Between successive pockets 14, carrier strip 12 has a series of transverse perforation lines 15 extending thereacross to enable separation of strip 12 into a series of individual carrier sheets 12a forming portions of a series of packing units 16, which may be torn apart at the perforation lines for individual application to objects or cartons being shipped. At the time of shipment, a packing slip or other item is inserted into one of the pockets 14, and the adhesive disposed about that pocket is then placed against the carton or object being shipped, to adhere thereto in a manner securing the packing slip to the object. At the point of destination, the carrier sheet 12a is stripped off of the object, to allow removal of the packing slip or other item.

With reference now to FIG. 1, this figure shows at 17 a machine which is utilized for manufacturing a roll 10 of the carrier units as illustrated in FIG. 12. This roll 10 produced by machine 17 appears at the right end of FIG. 1. The material from which roll 10 is formed enters the machine as a first roll 18 of adhesive carrying material 12 which ultimately becomes the carrier strip 12 of FIG. 12, and a second roll 19 of paper or other sheet material 14, which ultimately forms the pockets 14 of FIG. 12. Rolls 18 and 19 are mounted by shafts 20 and 21 to turn about parallel axes 22 and 23 relative to a rigid frame 24 of the machine. Frame 24 may be of any convenient construction to mount the various parts of the machine, and typically includes a number of vertical frame members 25 resting on floor surface 26, and interconnected by horizontal members 27, 28 and 29 at three different levels.

The sheet material 12 may be a conventional pressure sensitive tape, typically formed of a fairly heavy kraft paper, having adhesive 13 continuously coating its radially inner surface when the tape is wound in the roll 18. As tape 12' advances to the right from roll 18, at 30, the adhesive 13 is at its underside, with the upper side of the tape being treated with a silicone or otherwise to make this upper surface 31 a release surface from which adhesive 13 can be stripped without damage to surface 31, and without removing the adhesive from the undersurface of tape or carrier sheet 12'. The adhesive material itself is desirably a waterproof pressure sensitive type of adhesive, which is permanently tacky and adapted to adhere to release surface 31 or to an article or carton being shipped upon contact therewith, or upon the application of light finger pressure. As an example, a suitable latex base waterproof pressure sensitive adhesive may be employed, preferably consisting of crude natural rubber and/ or synthetic rubber combined with suitable resins for increasing the natural tackiness of the elastomer, and typically also including other additives such as plasticizers, fillers and the like in proportions giving to the ultimate combination the desired permanently and aggressively tacky characteristics.

After leaving supply roll 18, the carrier strip or tape 12' first passes to a printing mechanism 32, including a printing roller 33, impression roller 34, doctor roller 35, and ink supply pan 36. This mechanism 32 acts to print repeatedly on the nonadhesive side of carrier strip 12 a desired marking, typically consisting of the words Packing Slip Underneath, as seen in FIG. 11, to indicate that a packing slip is under the packing unit in its ultimate condition of use. After being printed in this manner, the carrier strip 12' passes about a perforating roller 37, having one or more blades 38 which extend directly transversely across the tape 12', at right angles to its opposite side edges, and act to form perforation lines across the tape, at spaced locations (see also FIG. 12). The printed matter Packing Slip Underneath or the like which is printed by unit 32 is repeated between each pair of successive perforation lines 15.

From the perforating roller 37, carrier strip 12' advances downwardly about a guide roller 39 (FIG. 8), and then about the left side and underside of a relatively large externally cylindrical pressure roll 40, which is mounted to turn about a horizontal axis 41 relative to a pair of swinging arms 42 by which the roller is mounted. From roller 40, the carrier strip passes rightwardly along the horizontal path represented at 43, to ultimately be wound onto a takeup spindle 44 (FIG. 1) on which one of the cardboard spools 11 is mounted.

The second strip of material 14 from which the packing units are formed may be a strip of somewhat lighter weight kraft paper, such as that customarily employed in making small bags. Strip 14', like strip 12, may be defined at its opposite sides by two parallel edges 46 (see FIG. 10) extending longitudinally of the strip. In advancing from roll 19, strip 14' first passes through a perforating assembly 45 (FIG. 3), by which there are formed in strip 14' a series of uniformly spaced generally transverse identical perforation lines 47 (FIG. 10). These lines 47 are formed by two identical cutters 48 (FIG. 3) carried by a rotating member 49 which is suitably driven rotatably about an axis 50 in timed relation to the advancement of the two strips 12' and 14'. Strip 14 passes first about a relatively small roller 51, then about a much larger backing roller 52 which acts as the backing element for cutters 48, following which the perforated strip 14' passes about another small roller 53, and then upwardly and about another roller 54 to ultimately advance downwardly at 55 toward a main forming shoe 56.

All of the parts 49, 51, 52, 53 and 54 may be mounted rotatably to turn about parallel axes between a pair of upstanding stationary frame plates 57 secured to the rest of the frame 24. Rollers 51, 52 and 53 may be journalled in fixed positions relative to plates 57 by appropriate bearings connected directly to plates 57 (see bearings 58 in FIG. 1). Part 49 may be mounted to plates 57 only indirectly, by means of a pair of swinging arms 158 (FIGS. 2 and 3) which are mounted to swing about an axis 59, so that cutters 48 of different diameters with respect to axis 50 may be substituted, for altering the spacing of the perforation lines along strip 14. A threaded adjusting member 60 may be employed for adjusting the lower ends of arms 58 and the carried perforating mem- 4 ber 49 toward and away from backing roller 52, with the arms being locked in any set position by tightening nuts (FIG. 1) which are connected to a pair of screws which project from arms 158 and swing within slots 161 in the manner of a conventional change gear arrangement.

Perforating member 49 is driven continuously at a uniform speed by a main drive motor 62 (FIG. 1) as follows: Motor 62 drives a main reduction gear assembly 63 through a belt 64, with the output shaft 65 of reduction gear assembly 63 driving a chain 66 through a sprocket wheel 67. Chain 66 in turn engages a sprocket wheel on a countershaft 68, which shaft drives a chain 69 through another sprocket wheel on the shaft. Chain 69 drives a sprocket wheel 70 at the rear side of the back one of the two plates 57 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 4). Sprocket wheel 70 drives member 49 through an appropriate gear drive (not shown) associated with and carried by the swinging arms 158. As seen best in FIG. 1, rotating shaft 149 of the perforating member 49, which shaft carries and drives perforating cutters 48 of FIG. 3, is connected to and drives a gear 71 at the forward side of the front plate 57. Gear 71 may mesh with and drive another gear 72, which is connected to and drives the shaft 73 of backup roller 52 (FIG. 3) to thereby drive that roller in timed relation to the rotation of perforating member 49 (or roller 52 may if desired be undriven except by the paper itself). Gear 71 is a change gear, for which a different size gear is substituted when a different diameter perforating member 49 is utilized, to thus complete the adaptability of the apparatus for perforating the paper 14 at different spaced locations. Shaft 149 may extend through and be adapted to swing within a suitable arcuate slot 161 in front plate 57 (FIG. 1), to allow the discussed swinging movement of gear 71.

Roller 54 may be mounted to swing adjustably relative to the frame of the apparatus along the arcuate path designated 171 (FIG. 3), and for this purpose may be mounted rotatably to a pair of swinging arms 72 which are pivotally connected at 73 to plates 57, with an adjusting screw 74 being utilized for controlling the setting of roller 54, to thereby adjust the angle of approach of sheet material 14 toward forming shoe 56. Adjustment of roller 54 also varies the length of the linear path of sheet material 14' from the perforator to a tear off location 136 (FIG. 8) so that each perforation line accurately centered between two later to-be-described tear off rollers 104 and 106 at the time that a tear is made at that particular perforation line. The forming shoe 56 (see especially FIGS. 3 and 3a) may be constructed of essentially rigid sheet material, typically rigid metal, and may have a main portion 75 extending horizontally, and elongated in a left to right direction as viewed in FIGS. 1, 3 and 3a. At its left end, shoe 56 curves progressively upwardly at 76, to form a curving surface about the underside of which sheet material 14' advances toward the underside of main portion 75 of the shoe. The shoe is held in fixed position by an upstanding mounting rod 77 which is rigidly connected at its lower end to the shoe, and which extends at its upper end through an opening in a mounting member 78, and is adapted to be secured in any desired vertical setting by tightening of a thumb screw 79 carried by member 78 against rod 77. Member 78 is secured to and projects from the two plates 57, and may be adjustable in position relative thereto to enable further adjustment in the positioning of the shoe, both horizontally and to positions of slight inclination if desired.

As the paper or other sheet material 14 advances rightwardly in FIGS. 1 and 3 along the underside of forming shoe 56, the opposite side edges of paper 14 are deflected upwardly at the opposite sides of the forming shoe, and then inwardly over the top of the forming shoe to shape the paper into an essentially tubular form about the shoe. FIG. 5 shows the manner in which this folding or shaping action is initiated by two deflecting rods 80 which are adjustably mounted to the upper side of a table structure 81 extending horizontally beneath shoe 56. More particularly, table structure 81 carries two upwardly projecting cylindrical mounting posts 82, to which there are mounted for vertical sliding adjusting movement and horizontal pivotal movement a pair of carrier blocks 83 adapted to be locked in different vertical and pivotal settings by thumb screws 84, which are threadedly carried by blocks 83 and tightenable against columns 82. The rods 80 extend slidably through passages in blocks 83, and are fastenable in different set positions by thumb screws 85. Rods 80 extend generally horizontally toward shoe 56, and then turn upwardly and rightwardly at 86 (as viewed in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3) to form paper engaging and deflecting ends of the rods. These ends may be adjusted as desired both vertically and horizontally to attain an optimum paper deflecting action, and be locked in any set position by screws 84 and 85. As seen in FIG. 5;, the rods 80 deflect the opposite edge portions 87 of the paper upwardly and inwardly and about shoe 56.

Beyond the two initial deflecting rods 80, there is another pair of similar rods 88, mounted adjustably in the same manner discussed in connection with rods 80 (that is by blocks 89 which are vertically adjustable along columns or rods 90, and which slidably mount deflecting rods 88). Rods 88 extend substantially horizontally, and advance both inwardly toward shoe 56 and rightwardly (as viewed in FIG. 1), that is, in the direction of advancement of the paper, and may have terminal deflecting ends 90' turned more directly parallel to the direction of paper advancement, to continue the inward deflection of the opposite edges of the paper to the broken line condition illustrated at 87' in FIG. 5. In this position, the two rods 88 extend across the upper side of the opposite edges of the paper, and hold the paper downwardly essentially against or very near the upper surface of shoe 56.

Beyond deflecting rods 88, there are provided two identical rollers 91 (FIG. 6), which are mounted rotatably to a pair of mounting arms 92, carried by shafts 93. These shafts in turn may extend adjustably and slidably through stationary mounting blocks 94 projecting upwardly from table structure 81, and be secured in any adjusted position in those blocks by thumb screws 95. Arm 92 may have a series of different downwardly facing recesses 96, any one of which will fit over an annularly grooved end portion of shaft 93, to enable adjustment of the effective length of arm 92. Thus, the two rollers 91 may be adjusted to any desired setting, to properly rest by gravity on the upper surfaces of the opposite inturned edge portions of paper 14', and maintain that paper 1n the tubular condition to which it is shaped about the shoe (with one of the edges of the paper slightly overlapping the other edge as will be apparent from FIGS. 5, 11 and 12 To describe the structure of forming shoe 56 somewhat more specifically, it is noted that this shoe may be formed of sheet metal having two opposite side edges 97 (FIG. 2) which extend parallel to one another and parallel to the path of movement of the engaged portion of str1p 14' (except at the leading end 98 of the shoe where these edges and the shoe may not be exactly parallel to the path of movement of the strip, but rather may be curved slightly upwardly as seen in FIG. 1 away from actual contact with the strip). The leading and trailing edges 99 and 100 of the forming shoe (FIG. 2) may extend directly transversely of the path 101 along which strip 14' advances.

Beyond forming shoe 56, the tubular strlp 14 advances along a horizontal path and between four sets of rollers, including a first pair of upper and lower rollers 102 and 103 (FIGS. 3 and 8), a second pair of upper and lower rollers 104 and 105, a third pair of upper and lower rollers 106 and 107, and two final upper and lower rollers 40 (previously mentioned) and 109. The four lower rollers 103, 105, 107 and 109 may all be driven by the previously mentioned chain 66 from reduction gear assembly 63. As best seen in FIG. 4, chain 66 extends about the upper side of and drives a first sprocket wheel 110, then extends about the underside of an idler sprocket 111, and then about the upper side of another sprocket wheel 112, to thus drive both of the sprocket wheels 110 and 112 in a common direction. These sprocket wheels 110, 111, and 112 are mounted rotatably at the rear side of a vertical support or mounting plate 114. A second and similar forward plate extends parallel to plate 114 and is spaced therefrom, with the various rollers 102 through 108, 40 and 109 being received between these two plates. Sprocket wheel 110 is connected to a shaft 113 which extends through and is journalled within an appropriate bearing carried by plate 114, and which carries and drives a gear 116 at the forward side of plate 114 (FIG. 8). This gear 116 in turn drives two gears 117 and 118 which are rigidly connected to rollers 103 and 105 respectively, to thus drive those two rollers at a common speed about parallel axes disposed transversely of the path of movement 101 of strip 14' (and in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 8 to advance that strip). Similarly, sprocket wheel 112 of FIG. 4 is connected rigidly to and drives gear 119 of FIG. 8, which drives gears 120 and 120' connected to rollers 107 and 109, to turn those rollers at a common speed and in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 8. However, the sprocket wheel 110 of FIG. 4 is slightly larger in diameter than sprocket wheel 112 (for example may be 24 teeth as against 20 teeth), so that the rollers 107 and 109 turn at a rotary and surface speed greater than the speed of rollers 103 and 105, to attain a tearing action on strip 14 between the locations of rollers 105 and 107 of FIGS. 3 and 8.

To positively drive rollers 102, 104, 106 and 40, these rollers rigidly carry four gears 121, 122, 123, and 124, which are permanently in mesh with the four gears 117, 118, 120, and 120' (FIGS. 2 and 8), so that each of the upper rollers 102, 104, 106, and 40 turns in counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 8, and at a surface speed corresponding to the surface speed of the opposed lower roller 103, 105, 107, or 109, in a manner such that each of the pairs of vertically opposed rollers will act to advance the tubular strip 14' rightwardly in FIGS. 1 and 8 between the rollers, with the strip being confined and gripped tightly between the rollers of each pair.

Roller 102 is mounted for upward and downward movement, and is yieldingly urged downwardly by two springs (one visible in FIG. 8). These springs 125 act downwardly against two swinging arms 12 6 which are received adjacent the two vertical plates 114 and 115 of FIG. 2, and which rotatably journal opposite ends of the shaft of roller 102. Arms 126 have their second ends pivotally disposed about a shaft 127 (FIG. 8), which extends in a front to rear direction between plates 114 and 115, and is connected in fixed position to these two plates, and is disposed parallel to the axes of the various rollers received between the plates, and perpendicular to the path of movement of strip 14'. Thus, rollers 102 and 103 act as compression rollers for tightly gripping the paper as it advances therebetween. Similarly, roller 40 has its shaft 41 journalled at opposite ends of the roller within two swinging arms 42, which are spring urged downwardly by two springs 128 (FIG. 8), and which are also pivotally connected to and about transverse shaft 127 to enable roller 40 to press downwardly against the paper and toward roller 109. Rollers 104 and 106 of FIG. 8 are mounted to be intermittently actuated downwardly into gripping relation with respect to the opposed rollers 105 and 107. For this purpose, the opposite ends of the shaft of roller 104 are journalled within bearings carried by two swinging carrier members 130, which are received near the two vertical plates 114 and 115 of FIG. 2, and contain openings through which shaft 127 passes in closely fitting relation, so that members 130 and roller 104 can swing very slightly about the axis of shaft 127. Similarly, roller 106 has its shaft journalled within two carrier members 131, which are also disposed about shaft 127 to swing upwardly and downwardly with the carrier roller 106. The members 130 and 131 at each end of the two rollers 104 and 106 carry cam follower rollers 132 which are actuable by engagement with lugs 133 of a cam 134 mounted to turn about the axis of a shaft 135 (FIG. 8). Lugs 133 are spaced degrees apart about the axis of shaft 135, with the two cam rollers 132 being similarly spaced with respect to that axis, so that upon each 90 degrees of rotation of cam 134, two of the lobes 133 come into engagement with the two rollers 132 respectively, to simultaneously actuate the two rollers 104 and 106 downwardly into tight gripping engagement with tubular strip 14. The actual motion of rollers 104 and 106 at this time may be very slight, but it is sutficient to cause these rollers and their opposed lower rollers and 107 to grip strip 14' tightly enought to tear it between the location of rollers 104 and 105, and the location of rollers 106 and 107, as indicated at 136 in FIG. 8. Except when rollers 104 and 106 are thus forced tightly downwardly, strip 14' is able to slip between rollers 104 and 105, and between rollers 106 and 107, without tearing, even though rollers 106 and 107 are turning at a more rapid rate than rollers 104 and 105. However, the strip 14' cannot slip when cam 134 actuates rollers 104 and 106 downwardly, so that the difference in speed between the two pairs of rollers then becomes effective to cause tearing of strip 14' at 136.

There may be two of the cams 134 for actuating the two pairs of arms and 131 respectively, with these two cams being carried by a common shaft 135, which is connected at the rear side of plate 114 to a sprocket wheel 137 (FIG. 4), driven at a proper speed by chain 138 which in turn is driven by an appropriately dimensioned sprocket wheel on countershaft 68.

After the rollers 106 and 107 have thus torn a short tubular portion of strip 14 from the rest of the strip, these rollers continue advancement of that removed portion of strip 14 rightwardly in FIG. 8, and into the bight formed between rollers 40 and 109, to thus contact the adhesive at the underside of strip 12, and adhere thereto. Strip 12' then continues to the right and is wound upon core 11 in the form of a continuous roll, with the short tubular strips adhered thereto and forming the pockets 14 of FIG. 12. The shaft 44 on which core 11 is removably carried is driven appropriately by a suitable chain 139, whose opposite ends extend about sprockets carried by countershaft 68 and shaft 44 respectively, suitably dimensioned to attain an appropriate take-up action. If desired, there may be provided a slip clutch between shaft 44 and the sprocket wheel which is carried by that shaft, so that shaft 44 may tend to slightly overrun the strip 12, but will continuously slip just enough to maintain the strip tight on roll 10. When a roll of a predetermined number of units 16 of FIG. 12 have been wound onto core 11, the strip 12' may be automatically cut off by any convenient type of cutoff unit 140, having a blade 141. Unit 140 may be driven by a chain 142 (FIG. 4), which extends at one end about a sprocket wheel 168 of unit 140, and at its opposite end about a suitable sprocket wheel on countershaft 68, and which is constructed to actuate cutter 141 at precisely the appropriate time to cut off the desired number of units 16 on roll 10. The cutoff mechanism may also function when blade 141 is operated to stop the operation of the machine, so that an operator may remove the roll 10 and apply another core 11 to which the leading end of strip 12' may be secured, so that the machine may then be restarted to wind another roll. It is also of course contemplated that continuous operation of the machine may be attained by suitable mechanism acting to automatically advance successive Cores into proper position for winding.

It has already been described how roller 40 of FIG. 8 is driven to advance tape 12' through the machine. To assist in such advancement of this tape, others of the rollers about which tape 12 passes may also be driven. For example, as seen in FIG. 4, the shaft 143 which is rigidly connected to and driven by roller 109 of FIG. 8 may carry a sprocket wheel 144 driving a chain 145 which in turn drives a sprocket wheel 146 rigidly connected to perforating roller 37 of FIG. 1, and which also drives a sprocket wheel 147 connected to and driving roller 34 of the printing mechanism. Similarly, any additional rollers employed such as those shown at 148 and 149 in FIG. 1 may also be driven in appropriate timed relation to the rest of the apparatus. Further, some or all of the rollers about which strip 14 passes in advance of its contact with forming shoe 56 may be power driven in timed relation to the rest of the rollers, to assist in advancing the strip. For this purpose, I have illustrated at 150 in FIG. 4 a chain which may transmit power from a sprocket whee'l 150 connected to roller 103 to a sprocket wheel 150" connected to the shaft of roller 52, to drive roller 52 at a peripheral rate corresponding to the rate of advancement of strip 14'. All of the various rollers which drive or direct strip 12' or strip 14 may be externally cylindrical, and in the case of the driving rollers have a sufiicient coefficient of friction with respect to the driven tape to attain the desired driving action. In this connection, all of the rollers may have tape engaging surfaces formed of rubber or other relatively high friction material, with the exception of roller 107 relative to which there is some slippage of strip 14' except during an actual tearing operation. The coacting roller 106 may have a high friction surface, so that when this roller presses downwardly toward roller 107, there will be an effective driving engagement with strip 14 effecting the desired tearing actron.

To describe now the operation of the apparatus, assume that strips 12 and 14 have been threaded into the machine to the positions illustrated in FIG. 1, and that motor 62 is then placed in operation to start the rotation of the various rollers. As carrier strip or tape 12' advances past the printing mechanism 32, it is printed repetitively as illustrated in FIG. 12, and is then perforated along the lines 15 of FIG. 12 by roller 37. This strip then passes about roller 40, with the adhesive side of the strip facing downwardly at the underside of roller 40.

At the same time, strip 14' is perforated generally transversely along the lines 47 of FIG. 10 by the perforating assembly 45, and then is directed along the underside of forming shoe 56 to progressively be deformed to a tubular condition about the forming shoe, with the tube being compressed to a very flattened condition between rollers 102 and 103. The tubular strip is advanced rightwardly by these rollers, and then passes between the subsequent pairs of rollers 104 and 105, and 106 and 107. Cam 134 intermittently actuates rollers 104 and 106 downwardly into tight gripping engagement with the tubular strip. Because rollers 104 and 105 are driven at the same speed as rollers 102 and 103 respectively, while rollers 106 and 107 are driven at a greater rotary and surface speed, rollers 106 and 107 advance the engaged portion of the tube more rapidly in a rightward direction as viewed in FIG. 1 than do rollers 104 and 105, to thus tear a leading one of the sections of the tubular strip away from the next successive section along one of the perforation lines 47 of FIG. 10. Cam 134 is so timed with respect to the rest of the apparatus as to exert this tearing force when each of the various tear lines 47 is received between the location of rollers 104 and 105, and the location of rollers 106 and 107, with the two adjacent or next successive tear lines 47 being located to the left of rollers 104 and 105, and to the right of rollers 106 and 107 respectively. As soon as the tear has been completed at 136 in this manner, the rollers 106 and 107 rapidly advance the removed tubular section or pocket formed from strip 14 rightwardly into the bight formed between rollers 40 and 109, and into contact with the adhesive on tape or strip 12', to be pressed against that adhesive by rollers 40 and 109, and thus permanently secure the pocket to that adhesive. The timing of the various rollers is such that each pocket is accurately located at the center of one of the rectangular portions of strip 12' formed by and betwen perforation lines '15.

FIG. 11 shows diagrammatically the manner in which strip 14 is perforated at 47, then folded or shaped progressively to an essentially tubular condition as illustrated at 14", and is ultimately torn apart at the perforation lines 47 to form the separate flattened pockets 14.

To discuss in greater detail the manner in which the tube is separated into the individual pockets 14, it is noted in FIG. 11 that, at the leading end 151 of each pocket, the outer layer 152 of that pocket is out 01f transversely to form an edge 153 which is perpendicular to the parallel side folds 154 and 155 of the pocket. The inturned portions 161 of the paper sheet, whose edges overlap at 156, are cut off in a different manner, to project longitudinally beyond edge 153, and form together a typically trapezoidal projecting tab 157. The formation of this tab 157 at one end of each of the pockets 14 acts to simultaneously form at the opposite end of the next successive pocket a correspondingly shaped and typically trapezoidal cutaway 158 in the two inturned overlapping portions of the sheet material which form pocket 14. The transverse edge 159 which is formed on the outer layer 152 of the pocket at the second end, by the same cut which forms edge 153 of the next succesive pocket, extends transversely of edges 154 and 155, and projects substantially beyond the transverse edge 160 of cutaway 158.

FIG. shows the configuration of the transverse perforation lines 47 which is preferably utilized to produce the end configuration of the pockets as illustrated in FIG. 11. In FIG. 10, it willbe apparent that a central portion of each perforation line forms simultaneously the two edges 159 and 153 of two successive pockets, while the opposite side portions of the perforation lines are offset leftwardly to simultaneously form the edges 157' of the tab 157 of one pocket and the edge 160 of an adjacent pocket.

When each of the pockets 14 of FIG. 11 is brought into contact with adhesive 13 of carrier strip 12, with the two inturned overlapping portions 161 of the pocket contacting the adhesive, these portions adhere to the adhesive, and are held permanently in fixed positions thereby, in a manner forming an effective closure at the location of the overlapping edges 156. Thus, any necessity for pre-gluing edges 156 together, as is required in conventional bag forming processes, has been eliminated. Similarly, one end of the pocket is effectively closed by engagement of the exposed end portion of outer layer 152 of the pocket forming material with adhesive 13, at a location between edges 159 and 160 and over the entire area of cutaway 158. The other end of the pocket remains open to pass a packing slip or other item into the pocket m use.

In using the packing units 16 of FIG. 12, assume that a carton has been packed, and that a slip is to be attached to the carton to indicate its contents. To serve this purpose, an end one of the packing units 16 is torn from the remainder of roll 10 of FIG. 12 at the location of the first tear line 15, and a packing slip or the like is inserted into pocket 14 of that unit, with tab 157 serving as a nonadhesive surface along which the packing slip may be slid into the pocket. The entire unit 16 is then placed against the outer surface of the carton, with the adhesive 13 contacting the carton entirely about the periphery of the pocket, so that the adhesive forms a waterproof protective layer at the outer side of and about the packing slip, protecting it against water damage in transit. When the carton reaches its destination, the recipient may strip the adhesive coated carrier sheet 12a (constituting a portion of the elongated strip 12) off of the carton, at least partially, to expose the open end of pocket 14 for removal of the packing slip.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for forming a packing unit, comprising means for directing along a predetermined path a first strip of sheet material having adhesive at one side thereof, and means for directing a second strip of sheet material along a second path, shaping successive portions thereof along the path to form a series of pockets, each comprising two superimposed layers of the sheet material, and then passing successive ones of said pockets into engagement with successive portions of said adhesive for attachment thereto, said two means being constructed and arranged to feed successive ones of the pockets to the adhesive in a relation causing two adjacent previously unattached portions of each pocket, near or at two different edges of the material forming that pocket, to both contact said adhesive and be retained thereby in fixed relative positions closing the pocket at said edges.

2. Apparatus for forming a packing unit as recited in claim 1, in which said second mentioned means fold the pockets to an essentially tubular form having said two edges formed on said two layers respectively of the pocket at one end thereof, with both of said edges exposed for direct contact with the adhesive.

3. Apparatus for forming a packing unit as recited in claim 1, in which said second metnioned means fold the pockets to an essentially tubular form in which said two edges form a longitudinal seam between two different portions of an inner one of said layers of the pocket.

4. Apparatus for forming a packing unit as recited in claim 1, in which said pockets are held in folded condition only by contact with said adhesive.

5. Apparatus for forming a packing unit as recited in claim 1, in which said second mentioned means fold the pockets to an essentially tubular form having said two edges formed on said two layers respectively of the pocket at one end thereof, with both of said edges exposed for direct contact with the adhesive, said pockets being held in folded condition only by contact with said adhesive, and having two additional edges secured in fixed positions by the adhesive and forming a longitudinal seam between two different portions of an inner one of said layers of the pocket.

6. Apparatus for forming a packing unit as recited in claim 1, including means for separating successive portions of said second strip to form said pockets.

7. Apparatus for forming a packing unit as recited in claim 1, in which said second mentioned means include means for directing said second strip of sheet material along said second path in the form generally of a tube, and means for separating successive portions of said tube into short lengths thereof to be fed to said first mentioned strip as said pockets.

8. Apparatus for forming a packing unit as recited in claim 1, in which said second mentioned means include means for folding said second strip to the form generally of a tube, and means for separating successive portions of said tube into short lengths thereof to be fed to said first mentioned strip as said pockets, said separating means including first means driving said tube at a first speed, and second means beyond said first means and driving said tube at an increased speed to exert longitudinal force on the tube tearing it into said short lengths thereof.

9. Apparatus for forming a packing unit, comprising means for directing along a predetermined path a first strip of sheet material having adhesive at one side thereof, means for directing a second strip of sheet material along a second path and progressively folding it to the form generally of a tube, and means for separating successive portions of said tube into short lengths thereof forming a series of thin pockets and then securing said pockets to said adhesive of the first strip, said last mentioned means including first drive means driving said tube at a first speed, second drive means beyond said first drive means driving said tube at an increased speed and thereby exerting longitudinal force on the tube tearing it into said short lengths thereof, and means for actuating at least one of said drive means into driving relation with said tube intermittently to exert said tearing force intermittently.

10. Apparatus for forming a packing unit as recited in claim 9, in which each of said drive means includes two roller means at opposite sides of said tube and actuable toward and away from one another intermittently in timed relation to the advancement of the tube.

11. Apparatus for forming a packing unit as recited in claim 9, in which each of said drive means includes two roller means at opposite sides of said tube and actuable toward and away from one another intermittently in timed relation to the advancement of the tube, there being cam means for actuating said roller means toward and away from one another and into driving relation with the tube intermittently.

12. Apparatus for forming a series of packing units, comprising means for advancing and directing a first strip of sheet material having adhesive thereon, and a second strip of sheet material, along two different paths in timed relation to one another, and ultimately into converging engagement with one another, said means including means for progressively folding said advancing second strip transversely to the form of a tube, and means for dividing said tube into a series of short tubular pockets, and then advancing said pockets individually in timed relation to the advancement of both strips and into engagement with successive portions of said adhesive for retention thereby.

13. Apparatus for forming a series of packing units as recited in claim 12, in which said last mentioned means include two drive means engaging the second strip at spaced locations and driving it at two different speeds in a relation exerting longitudinal force on the tube tearing it apart between successive ones of said pockets.

14. Apparatus for forming a series of packing units as recited in claim 12, in which said last mentioned means include two drive means engaging the second strip at spaced locations and driving it at two different speeds in a relation exerting longitudinal force on the tube tearing it apart between successive ones of said pockets, there being means engaging said second strip in advance of said drive means and forming weakened areas at which it is ultimately torn by said drive means.

15. Apparatus for forming a series of packing units as recited in claim 12, in which said last mentioned means include rollers exerting longitudinal tearing force against said tube to divide it into said pockets, and also serving to then advance each of said pockets individually directly from said rollers into contact with said adhesive.

16. Apparatus for forming a series of packing units, comprising means for advancing and directing a first strip of sheet material having adhesive thereon and a second strip of sheet material, along two different paths in timed relation to one another, and ultimately into converging engagement with one another, said means including a forming shoe, deflectors for progressively folding said advancing second strip about said shoe to form generally a tube, a first pair of rollers engaging opposite sides of said tube and driving it at a first speed, a second pair of rollers beyond said first pair and engaging opposite sides of the tube and driving it at a second and faster speed to exert longitudinal force for tearing the tube into a series of short tubular pockets, cam means for actuating said two pairs of rollers toward and away from one another intermittently to apply said tearing force intermittently, perforating means in advance of said rollers for forming weakened areas at which the tube is to be recited in claim 16, in which said second pair of rollers feed said pockets to said adhesive in an orientation for securing said pockets in folded condition by contact with the adhesive.

18. Apparatus for forming a packing unit comprising means for holding a piece of sheet material having adhesive on one of its sides, and means for applying to said adhesive a thin pocket of sheet material having two superimposed layers of said material and having two adjacent previously unattached portions of said pocket, near or at two different edges of the pocket forming material, which are both adhered to said adhesive and are retained in fixed relative positions only by said contact of both portions with said adhesive.

19. Apparatus as recited in claim 18, including means for shaping said sheet material of the pocket to an essentially tubular form having said edges at one end thereof, at which an end edge of one layer projects past an end edge of the other layer for adherence to the adhesive in a manner closing said end of the tubular pocket.

20. The method of forming a packing unit that comprises directing along a predetermined path a first strip of sheet material having adhesive at one side thereof, directing a second strip of sheet material along a second path, shaping successive portions of said second strip along said path to form a series of pockets each comprising two superimposed layers of the sheet material, and then advancing successive ones of said pockets into engagement with successive portions of said adhesive for attachment thereto and in a relation causing two previously unattached portions of each pocket, near or at two different edges of the material forming that pocket, to both contact said adhesive and be retained thereby in fixed relative position closing the pocket at said edges.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, in which said pockets are formed by folding said second strip transversely to essentially the form of a tube having said edges at one end thereof and having additional edges retained in fixed positions by said adhesive and forming a longitudinal seam along an inner one of said layers. 22. The method of forming a packing unit that comprises advancing a first strip of sheet material having adhesive thereon along a first path, advancing a second strip of sheet material along a second path in timed relation to the advancement of said first strip and ultimately into converging engagement with the first strip, progressively folding said second strip transversely to the form of a tube as it advances, dividing said tube into a series of short tubular pockets, and advancing said pockets individually in timed relation to the advancement of both strips into engagement with successive portions of said adhesive for retention thereby.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,851,061 3/1932 Poppe 93-63 XR 2,363,417 11/1944 Heywood 93-61 2,655,842 10/1953 Baumgartner 9336 XR 3,200,719 8/1965 Welch 93-61 FOREIGN PATENTS 103,495 1/ 1942 Sweden.

BERNARD STICKNEY, Primary Examiner U.S. C1.X.R. 93-20, 63 

1. APPARATUS FOR FORMING A PACKING UNIT, COMPRISING MEANS FOR DIRECTING ALONG A PREDETERMINED PATH A FIRST STRIP OF SHEET MATERIAL HAVING ADHESIVE AT ONE SIDE THEREOF, AND MEANS FOR DIRECTING A SECOND STRIP OF SHEET MATERIAL ALONG A SECOND PATH, SHAPING SUCCESSIVE PORTIONS THEREOF ALONG THE PATH TO FORM A SERIES OF POCKETS, EACH COMPRISING TWO SUPERIMPOSED LAYERS OF THE SHEET MATERIAL, AND THEN PASSING SUCCESSIVE ONES OF SAID POCKETS INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SUCCESSIVE PORTIONS OF SAID ADHESIVE FOR ATTACHMENT THERETO, SAID TWO MEANS BEING CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED TO FEED SUCCESSIVE ONES OF THE POCKETS TO 